Yesterday the police arrested Kester Jack for destroying multiple trees and then menacing people in Riverside Park. We have better info today on what happened, and why he was here…

In our bulletin earlier today we stated that a man was wielding an ax in chopping down trees on West 94th Street and using this same tool to menace people. We now know that the man, Kester Jack, who was arrested and charged with criminal mischief, menacing and marijuana possession, is not a resident of the St.Louis-Rustin. He was just here visiting friends in the building. According to West Side Rag, the weapon was a hand saw. We stand corrected. We have heard from neighbors and local delivery and service workers who had described either an ax or an electric power saw.

Mr. Jack was also reportedly seen using a scooter to expedite his tree murdering activities. Witnesses told N90s that he looked “high,” and thought he was on crack. Mr. Jack did use his cutting tool to menace people in Riverside Park, and if not for the 911 call by a Riverside Drive doorman, both people and more trees could have been at serious risk in the park.

The fact that he lives in Brooklyn (his FaceBook page says he lives in Manhattan) and was visiting friends before his attack reminds us of the slashing of the superintendent at Pomander Walk late last year by a man visiting his mother in the Freedom House shelter. While we can’t hold the facility operator responsible for the actions of visitors, it may be worth noting that sometimes it’s not the residents who cause problems, but the outside visitors who commit mayhem.

We stand by our call to reach out to Helen Rosenthal and demand that the community have input into the facilities, so we may hold the operators accountable. We also wish to hold her to her unfulfilled campaign promises to close Freedom House and help the community monitor these facilities.